1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for stimulating cell.
2. Background Information
Recently, a concern about various medical effect of an ultrasound is centralized in the medical field. Also, many results of clinical studies referring to this medical effect are being published, accordingly a medical treatment device is being developed. But, an effect of the ultrasound on a cell has not been studied accurately. Accordingly, the study for interpreting an accurate mechanism about the effect of the ultrasound on the cell is being done, and in this endeavor, various ultrasound stimulators which stimulates on the cell are being developed.
The ultrasound cell stimulators being used recently can be categoried into three groups.
One is an apparatus which stimulates cells by using the commercialized ultrasound stimulator attached on a cell culture chamber in which cells are grown [Liang-Wei Chieh, Therapeutic Ultrasound Stimulation of Tendon Cell Migration, Connective tissue research, 2008; 49 (5):367-73].
Another is an apparatus which stimulates cells by using the ultrasound stimulator attached on a floor surface of the cell culture chamber, as like a cell stimulator described in Ultrasound accelerated tissue engineering process [US Patent Publication No. US20070299539A1]. To transmit an ultrasound wave uniformly by this apparatus is easier than to transmit an ultrasound wave uniformly by the apparatus of Liang-Wei Chieh. This apparatus has a merit to control the magnitude of the transmitted ultrasound wave.
However, since the ultrasound stimulator is attached on the floor surface of the cell culture chamber, there is a problem that it is not easy to observe the cell by microscope. Also, since devices for maintaining a temperature of cell culture medium and CO2 concentration are installed in the apparatus, there is a problem that it is not easy to observe the cell by microscope, because the cell is shaded by the devices.
The other is an apparatus which stimulates cells by using the ultrasound stimulator which has a needle shape and is inserted in the cell culture chamber. According to this apparatus, it is able to observe the cell by the microscope. However, in this case, there is a problem that it is difficult to control the magnitude of the cell stimulation accurately or to stimulate the cell at a constant magnitude successively because of using a point source.